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Horizon Air

Company Facts

Updated January 2018

Horizon Air was formed to satisfy the need created when, after the Airline Deregulation Act of 1978, larger airlines abandoned routes within the Northwest. To fill this market niche, entrepreneur Milt Kuolt and a group of venture capitalists founded Horizon in Seattle in September 1981. Horizon brought together several dozen enthusiastic employees and a fleet consisting of two leased Fairchild F-27 turboprop aircraft to begin service between Yakima, Pasco and Seattle.

In the early 1980s, the airline grew quickly, acquiring Air Oregon and Utah-based Transwestern Airlines. In 1984, Horizon went public. By 1986, the company's proven track record attracted the attention of larger airlines. That year, Horizon was acquired by Seattle-based Alaska Air Group, Inc., a holding company that included Alaska Airlines.

On Jan. 1, 2011, Horizon shifted to a capacity purchase agreement (CPA) business model, which is the regional airline industry standard. Under this arrangement, Horizon operates and maintains its aircraft while Alaska is responsible for scheduling, marketing and pricing all flights. The change also included the rebranding of all Horizon aircraft to feature the Alaska brand.

The regional airline has a general office in Seattle and a primary maintenance base in Portland, Oregon, with additional maintenance facilities in Boise, Idaho; Seattle; Medford, Oregon; Redmond/Bend, Oregon and Spokane, Washington.